“I can promise you that women working together — linked, informed and educated — can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet” ~ Isabel Allende
By: Stephanie Suazo
For today’s blog, we will discuss how women have impacted our society. The following list contains some women who changed history, as well as some who have shown courage. This month is all about discussing the injustices that women face. There is no doubt that human rights include women’s rights! Women are more susceptible to abuse, treated unfairly at work, and given lower salaries. For example, the NBA is recognized around the world and its players are given several sponsorships. In 2021, NBA players make roughly around $7-$8 million a year on average. The WNBA is widely recognized but their players don’t get paid nearly as much. In 2021, WNBA players get about $1-$2 million a year on average. There is no doubt that men get paid more than women. Women are also discriminated against in tech, medicine, and business. Female CEOs need to work harder and produce more results than their male counterparts. By the 1970s, many women joined the workforce but in turn, experienced discrimination and assaults. Did you know that “91% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are female?” Did you also know that “startups led by all-male teams were four times more likely to receive funding than companies with one woman leader?” We still struggle with gender inequalities today. We have shared below our top 14 women who have changed everything. As women, we must unite together and empower each other. We hope that more women continue to inspire us in the future.
If you or someone you know have been a victim of sexual assault, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline (open 24/7) at 1–800–656–4673.
Women Who Changed Everything:
Susan B. Anthony
She was one of the pioneers of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. She firmly believed in women’s right to vote and to protest.
Michelle Obama
She was the first African American woman to serve as First Lady of the United States. She is also an attorney, writer, advocate, mother, and she is regarded as one of the most admirable women in America.
Gertrude Stein
She was a writer, poet, and playwright. She was openly gay for most of her life. She loved and appreciated literature and the arts.
Hedy Lamarr
She was an actress, mother, and inventor. One of her inventions incorporated technologies that we use today like GPS and Bluetooth.
Gloria Steinem
She is a feminist, activist, and spokeswoman for the American Feminist Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Malala Yousafzai
She is an activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is a firm believer in education for women and children.
Mae Jemison
One of the most influential and first African American female astronauts.
Marie Curie
She was a chemist, researcher, and physicist. She became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, not once but twice!
Amelia Earhart
She was an aviator and author. She became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Harriet Tubman
She was a brave woman who helped slaves escape to the North. She had several safe houses which are widely known as the Underground Railroad.
Dorothy Dandridge
She was a singer, dancer, and actress. She became the first African American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award
Eleanor Roosevelt
She was the First Lady of the United States and was regarded as the First Lady of the World. She was also a humanitarian, activist, and diplomat.
Sacagawea
She helped Lewis & Clark during their expedition while carrying a baby!
Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell
She was a physician and the first woman to receive a medical degree. She founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children as well.
Honorable Mentions:
Janet Gaynor
She was an actress and painter. She was the first woman to win an Academy Award in 1929.
Catherine the Great
She is considered one of the greatest monarchs in Russia. She believed in equal rights, education, advances in medical science, and philosophy.
Catherine of Aragon
King Henry VIII’s first wife, daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile and mother of Queen Mary.
Anne Boleyn
She was the second wife of King Henry VIII and Elizabeth I’s mother. She was Queen of England for 3 years.
Elizabeth I
She was the Queen of England and ruled for 45 years. Her reign became known as the Elizabethan Era.
Women in Hollywood:
Domee Shi
She directed the movie Turning Red. Domee became the first woman to direct a Pixar movie.
Mae West
She was a Hollywood icon, actress and according to sources she “saved” Paramount Pictures.
Jodie Foster
She is an actress and director. She directed movies like Home for the Holidays and Money Monster.
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